Wire connection cover



March 4, 1969 w. E. ALLISON WIRE CONNECTION COVER Filed Dec. 22, 1967INVEN'IOR. WILLIAM E. ALLISON ATT'YS United States Patent 3,430,800 WIRECONNECTION COVER William E. Allison, 2109 Burlington St., Ottawa, lll.61350 Filed Dec. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 692,848 [1.8. Ci. 220--3.94 Int. Cl.H02g 3/08; H051: /02

2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Brief description of the inventionThis invention relates in general to a cover or protective device forthe wire connections on a gear shifting mechanism for the two-speedaxles of trucks.

Heavy trucks normally are equipped with two-speed axles and thedifferential of the vehicle has mounted thereon a gear shifting motor ormechanism which is controlled electrica-lly by the driver of the vehiclein the truck cab. This type of construction is well known and is shownin many prior art patents, such as, for example, the Russell Patent No.2,462,779 issued Feb. 22, 1949.

The housing of the gear shifting mechanism has a plurality of electricalterminals on the outside thereof to which electrical wires are connectedfrom the gear shift handle inside of the truck cab. Within the housingof the gear shifting mechanism an electrical connection is made betweenthese terminals and the motor which operates to shift gears, and this isactuated by a button or switch within the truck cab and operated by thedriver.

Heretofore and up to the present time, the connections between theelectrical wires and the terminals on the housing of the gear shiftingmechanism have been exposed to the Weather and to the action ofchemicals, such as salt, chloride and water, so that such connectionswill deteriorate and eventual-1y break off or become inoperative. Whenthis occurs it is impossible for the driver of the vehicle to shiftgears. If it occurs while the gears are in a neutral position, then thevehicle will not operate at all. If it should occur during a period whenthe vehicle is moving in low gear, then it would be impossible to shiftthe gears into a high gear ratio or back to neutral.

This is quite obviously an undesirable situation and it is, therefore,one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide adevice which will protect the connections between the wires andterminals from the action of weather and chemicals, and is an improveddesign over that disclosed in my earlier Patent No. 3,318,475 issued May9, 1967.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire connection coverparticularly adapted for mounting on the housing of a remote controlledvehicle gear shifting mechanism, thereby enclosing and providing aprotective covering for the connections between the electrical wires andterminals thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire connection coveradapted for use in protecting the connection between electrical wiresand terminals on the housing of a remote controlled vehicle gearshifting mechanism wherein such housing has a flanged neck thereon formounting on a vehicle differential and wherein the cover is soconstructed as to form, with said neck, a protection for the wireconnections against the action of weather, chemicals, and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in

which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective showing the presently usedform of housing for a remote controlled vehicle gear shifting mechanismwith the wire connection cover of the present invention which is to :beapplied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover showing the inner portionthereof which is the side opposite to that shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the wireconnection cover in place and secured to the housing.

Detailed description Referring now more particularly to the drawing, andespecially to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a housing generally indicatedby the numeral 1 which is typical of those currently in use which housethe gear shifting mechanism for a vehicle and which is mounted on thedifferential. This housing is provided with an outwardly extending neck2 which terminates in an annular flange 3. The neck is hollow and isadapted to accommodate well known mechanism which is connected to avehicle differential for shifting the gears therein.

The flange 3 is provided with a plurality of openings 4 through whichsuitable bolts may pass for securing the housing to the vehicledifferential.

The housing to which the cover of the present invention is particularlysuited to be applied includes oppositely extending webs 5 and 6 locatedbetween and connecting the annular flange 3 and the main body of thehousing 1.

The gear shifting mechanism situated within the housing 1 is operated bya remote control device connected electrically to terminals on thehousing. Normally there is provided a cable 7 having electrical wires 8extending therethrough which are connected to the terminals 9. Normallythese terminals are on the outside of the housing and to the presenttime the terminals and the Wires connected thereto are subject tocorrosion and deterioration, not only due to weather conditions, butalso dirt and chemicals from the highway.

As stated hereinabove, the present invention is directed particularly tomeans for protecting the wire connections to the terminals againstdeterioration by action of chemica-ls, dirt and weather.

The wire connection cover of the present invention includes a first sidewall 10 having the elongated side edges 11 and 12 and the end edges 13and 14. A second side wall 15 extends angularly from the side edge 11and terminates in the edge portion which is generall indicated by thenumeral 16.

This edge portion 16 0f the second side wall 15 is appropriatelycontoured to fit snugly against the outer surface of the flanged neck 2.In the present instance this edge 16 is contoured to provide an arcuateportion 17 intermediate the ends thereof, a slightly arced portion 1-8,and a relatively straight portion 19. The purpose, of course, is tocreate a snug fit of this portion of the cover against the externalsurface of the neck 2 so that this area may be sealed with anappropriate sealing compound to prevent ingress of chemicals, dirt, andthe like, to beneath the cover, thereby deteriorating the terminals 9.The contour of the edge 16 of the second side wall 15 may be modified inaccordance with any modifications in the Patented Mar. 4, 1969 3external contour of the neck 2 without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The first end wall 20 joins the first and second side walls 10 and 15,respectively, as may be seen more clearly in FIG. 2, thereby providingan end closure for the cover. The outer end of this first end wall 20 isprovided with a flange 21 thereon for a purpose which will presentlyappear.

A connecting wall 22 is provided which joins the first end wall 20 andthe second side wall 15 and which is spaced inwardly from the flange 21.This arrangement thereupon provides an elongated recessed portion 23 ofsuch size to receive the lower edge of the web 5. Thus, when the coveris assembled with the housing 1, one end thereof is locked to thehousing by reason of the edge of the web being lockingly received withinthe recess 23.

A second end wall 24 is provided which joins the adjacent ends of theaforesaid first and second side walls and at the end of the housingopposite the first end wall 20, thereby providing a second end closurefor the cover.

This opposite end of the cover is secured by any suitable means to theother oppositely extending web 6, thereby to secure the cover in placeon the housing 1 over the terminals 9 for protection as heretoforementioned.

The web 6 and the second end wall 24 may be so shaped as to cooperatewith each other so that suitable fastening means may engage these twoparts and secure them together. As illustrated herein, the outermostedge of the second end wall 24 is provided with a flange 25 extendingupwardly therefrom, which flange is adapted to abut against and besecured to the aforesaid web 6.

Any suitable fastening means may be utilized but as shown herein, theflange 25 and web 6 are provided with threaded openings 26 and 27,respectively, which may be brought into alignment to receive thethreaded fastener 28.

To provide for an effective seal, one of the walls of the cover shouldbe recessed to allow the cable 7 to extend to the terminals 9 within thehousing. For purposes of illustration, the second end wall 24 is shownas being provided with a recess or cut-away portion 29 in one edgethereof, through which the cable 7 may extend, as clearly shown in FIG.3. Thus, the wire connection cover of the present invention is designedfor quick and easy application to the housing of the gear shiftingmechanism as well as for easy removal therefrom when necessary.

The cover of the invention is designed to fit in sutficiently closerelationship to the housing and neck so as to enable a sealing compoundto be applied in any spaces therebetween.

The invention provides assurance that the gear shifting mechanism withinthe housing will function properly at all times as far as the electricalconnections are concerned. As long as these connections are secure, thevehicle driver is assured that electrical current will always flow tothe gear shifting mechanism every time he presses the switch at theremote control station within the truck cab. Thus, one source of concernto truck operators is eliminated by the present invention and that isthe concern for time wasted in making repairs or replacing theelectrical connections and the expense of service calls in connectiontherewith.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A wire connection cover adapted for use in protecting the connectionbetween electrical wires and terminals on the housing of a remotecontrolled vehicle gear shif ing mechanism having a flanged neck thereonfor mounting on a vehicle dififerential with oppositely extending websbetween the neck flange and the main body of th housing, said covercomprising,

(a) a first side Wall having side and end edges,

(b) a second side wall extending angularly from one of the side edges ofsaid first side wall, the edge of said second side wall remote from saidfirst side wall being contoured to fit snugly against the flanged neckof the gear shifting mechanism housing,

(c) a first end wall joining said first and second side walls adjacentone of the ends thereof and forming an end closure for the cover, theouter end of said first end wall having a flange extending therefrom,

(d) a connecting wall joining said first end wall and said second sidewall and spaced inwardly from said flange on said first end wall,thereby to provide a recess to lockingly receive the edge of one of theoppositely extending webs on the flanged neck,

(e) a second end wall joining the adjacent ends of said first and secondside walls at the opposite end of said first side wall and forming asecond end closure for the cover,

(f) said second end wall having means thereon adapted to abut againstand be secured to the other of the oppositely extending webs on theflanged neck, thereby to secure the entire cover in place on thehousing,

(g) and an opening through one of said walls to permit the electricalwires to be received within said cover for connection to the terminals.

2. The combination of elements defined in claim 1 wherein said lastnamed means includes a flange extending from said second end walladapted to abut against and be secured to the other of the oppositelyextending webs on the flanged neck.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,436 11/1926 Chandeysson2203.2 X 2,986,299 5/1961 Caparone et a1. 2203.94 X 3,151,759 10/1964Dykzeul et al. 2203.94 3,283,062 11/1966 DEntremont 2203.94 X 3,318,4755/ 1967 Allison 220-394 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

JAMES R, GARRETT, Assistant Examiner.

